Process for producing composite yarn structure



M. JGG: MQ

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE YARN STRUCTURE ug. 9, i966 Filed June2l, 1965 United States Patent O 3,264,816 PRGCESS EUR PRUDlUClNGCOMPSITE YARN STRUCTURE Markus Jggi, Wattwil, Switzerland, assigner toHeberlein Patent `Cor-poration, New York, NSY., a corporation of NewYork Filed lune 2l, 1963, Ser. No. 289,475

Claims priority, application Switzerland, .luly 2, 1962,

7 Claims. (Cl. 57-160) This invention relates to the Vproduction ofcomposite yarns, and more particularly it concerns a process formanufacturing yarns in which fully synthetic threads or bundles "offilaments are blended with staple fibers such as wool or cotton. Theinvention is especially suited to the combining of especially crimpedsynthetic threads or filaments with staple fibers in such a manner as toobtain the advantages of both materials without the internal slippagewhich tends to prevail in prior combinations.

In the plast, composite yarns containing both synthetic materials and`staple fibers have been manufactured by rst forming -a core of thesynthetic material and then wrapping this `core fully Iwith thestaplefibers. This permits the synthetic threads to stretch s1nce therelatively non-elastic staple twisted fibers readily yield. Furthermore,the staple fibers, fully covering the synthetic threads or filaments,provide han exterior or finished fabric surface which is pleasing bothno the touch and to the eye. Yarns formed in this manner, however, arecharacterized by a lack of slip pr-oofness between the staple and thesynthetic materials. As a result, shifting or fiber disorientation oftentakes place when the cornposite yarn is being worked in knittingmachines or on looms. This shifting involves the longitudinal slippageof the stable fibers along Athe synthetic core; and it occurs even whensmooth or crimped synthetic yarns or filaments are plied with yarns ofstaple fibers such `las cotton or wool. A further disadvantage of theconve-ntional processes for manufacturing ply or composite yarns is thatsuch processes have generally required a number of steps wlhereby athread must first be spun from the short staple fibers and then thismust be plied with the fully synthetic yarns.

Another prior art process for producing composite yarns involves thecovering of two previously twisted, highly crimped, fully syntheticcores each with a wiapping of staple fibers and then plying togetherthese two wrapped cores. This process, like the process described above,has the disadvantage of requiring several operations. Furthermore, it islimited to the production of coarser or relatively thick yarns, and iscompletely inadequate for the production of very fine yarns.

According to the present invention there is provided in one single andcontinuous operation, a composite yarn of fully synthetic threads orbundles of filaments and of staple fibers, which yarn is characterizedIby a high degree of slip proofness, land at the same time is pleasantto vthe sight and touch and may be made extremely fine. The yarnproduced according to the present invention comprises a core of tfullysynthetic material which is first wrapped with a staple fiber. Thiscomposite is then plied with an additional fully synthetic thread orbundle of filaments. This produces an interlocking effect which aids inpreventing the shifting or disorientation lof the various fibers ofdifferent materials with respect to each other during further processingof the yarn.

The process described herein for producing such novel yarn involves asingle continuous operation whereby the various synthetic and staplefibers are fed into a twisting device, such a-s a ring twister, atproper points lblll Patented August 9, 1966 relative to each other sothat the staple fibers first become wrapped around ya core of syntheticmaterial and then, further on toward the twisting device, the oompositethus produced becomes plied with an additional thread or bundle offibers of the synthetic material. The synthetic material prior to thisoperation may be crimped according to one of the known mechanicalcrimping processes, c g., high twisting, fixation by heat and'subsequent detwisting, or in separate operations with the help of ringtwisting machines. It is also possible to utilize threads or bundles ofsynthetic filaments which have been crimped lby other means such as forexample, by the use of a stuffing box, inter-engaging rollers, or bydrawing of the thread over a sharp edge, etc.

For high elastic pull of the composite yarn it is preferable to usebundles of filaments of the fully synthetic material, such bundlesconsisting of relatively coarse filaments of :at least 3 denier weightwhich bundles of laments are crimped according to a false twistingprocess.

Among the fully synthetic, organic, fibrous materials which are useablein connection with the present invention, it has been found preferableto utilize polyamides such as for example, polyhexamethylene adipamide,polycondensates of e-caprolactam or l1-aminoudecanoic acid. It has alsobeen found suitable to utilize fibrous material on a polyvinyl basissuch as for example, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl chloride, polyesterssuch as for example, polyethylene glycol terephthalate, polyethylene orpolyproepylene.

Among the staple fibers which may be utilized are those natural fibersIof animal and vegetable origin such as wool Iand cotton as well asartificial bers such as spun rayo-n. It is also possible to utilizestaple fibers of a fully synthetic material. The proportion of thestaple fibers is governed by the final gauge off the composite yarn tobe produced and the nature of the textile produets to be producedtherefrom. This proportion may vary in amount between 20 and 80 percent.

The fully synthetic threads or bundles of filaments to be covered by thestaple fiber yarn and the fully synthetic threads or bundles offilaments to be plied with the core yarn, may be of the same or ofdifferent weights. For example, where the staple fibers are to show upstrongly in the composite yarn, the core yarns would be plied withrelatively fine synthetic threads or bundles of filaments. On the otherhand, where the fully synthetic bundles of filaments or threads are topredominate, as in the production of Moulin effects, then the wrappedyarn must be plied with a fully synthetic thread or bundle of filamentsapproaching its own total thickness.

In the production of yarn according to the present invention,conventional spinning machines may be utilized with a minimum ofmodification. An illustrative method and apparatus for so producing suchcomposite yarns is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a schematic illustration in side elevation depicting apparatusproducing a composite yarn according to the principles of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing in-end View a portion of theapparatus of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration, shown in perspective, depicting amodified version of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. l, there is provided a spool 10 freely rotatablysupported to spin about a vertical axis between an upper platform l2 anda lower platform 14. The spool llt) has wound thereon a staple fiberroving 16 which is withdrawn from the spool by means of a pair ofrollers l, 18. The roving 16, after passing between the first set ofrollers i8, 18', is reduced or stretched to a desired yarn number in aconventional manner by means of another pair of rollers 36, 36 (referredto hereinafter as the third roller pair), which are driven at a greaterperipheral velocity than rollers 18, 18. The diference in peripheralvelocities between these roller pairs determines the amount ofelongation, and hence the amount of decrease in diameter, or final yarnnumber, imparted to the roving 16. On the embodiment illustrated anintermediate (or second) roller pair 20, 20 is employed, which in thecase of cotton roving is driven at a speed slightly higher than 18, 1S',but substantially slower than pair 36, 36 to so effect reduction in twostages. With long fibers such as wool occasionally only two sets ofrollers are required in which event the pair 20, 20 serves only as guidemeans.

Mounted above the upper platform 12 are second and third spoolsdesignated respectively as 24 and 26. The second and third spools havewound thereon Synthetic strands 25 and 27 respectively. These syntheticthreads may be single filaments or they may be made up of bundles offilaments. In either case, they are made from a fully synthetic materialsuch as, for example, a polyamide. The synthetic threads are withdrawnfrom the respective spools upwardly towards corresponding guide rings 28and 30, are directed over a guiding bar 32 and then down toward a thirdpair of rollers 36, 36'. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the two syntheticthreads 25 and 27 are displaced from each other by approximately onecentimeter as they pass over the guiding bar 32 and the third pair ofrollers 36, 36'. One of the synthetic threads such as 25 passes into thenip of the third pair `of rollers 36, 36 at a position immediatelyadjacent the roving 16 and together these two items pass through thethird set of rollers. From the rollers, the one synthetic thread 25 andthe roving 16 together pass directly downward through a guiding ring 38and thence through an eye 40 and On t0 a spindle 42 of a ring typethread twisting and winding unit, designated generally as 44. The otheror second synthetic thread 27 also passes through the third set ofrollers 36, 36', but upon emerging therefrom this thread is directedoutwardly over a displacement guide 46 and down through the guiding ring38 where it joins with the first synthetic thread 25 and the roving 16;and together with these elements passes into the thread twisting andwinding unit 44.

The thread twisting and winding unit 44 operates to produce a twist inthe threads passing through the ring traveler 40, and then to wrap thethreads so twisted onto the spindle 42. This is accomplished by mountingthe ring traveler 40 in frictional engagement with the yarn passing tothe spindle 42 so that it rotates with the spindle thus causing thethreads passing through the ring traveler to become twisted. As twistingproceeds, however, the threads tend to shorten and develop a back pullor resistance against the ring traveler 40, causing it to slip backwardsrelative to the spinning motion of the spindle 42. This difference inrelative rotation between the ring traveler 40 and the spindle 42 causesa wrapping about the spindle 42 of the twisted threads.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, in the zone designated at A, which is betweenthe guiding ring 38 and the output of the third set of rollers 36, 36',the roving 16 is wrapped about the first synthetic thread 25 while thesecond synthetic thread 27, being displaced therefrom by means of itsposition in the third pair of rollers 36, 36' and the displacement guide46, does not become involved with these other threads until a pointbelow the guiding ring 38. Thus, it is possible in zone A to effect acomplete wrapping of the first synthetic thread 25 with the stapleroving 16 and then in the region below zone A to effect a locking of thestaple material in its wrapped position by means of twisting or plyingthis composite together with the second synthetic thread 27.

Coiling7 or Wrapping of the staple roving about the synthetic thread 25occurs readily in zone A because of the comparatively greater tension inthe thread or yarn 25. The staple fiber roving by reason of its verynature and substantially untwisted condition is incapable of beingtensioncd appreciably or as compared with the continuous filament yarn25, even though roving 16 and yarn 25 enter zone A at the same speed asdetermined by the velocity of rollers 36, 36.

The relatively loose roving 16 thus becomes wrapped or coiled about thestraight taut core formed by the synthetic thread 25. However, in theregion below zone A both the wrapped synthetic thread 25 and theunwrapped synthetic thread 27 are under substantially the same tension,both having passed through the nip of the third set of rollers 36, 36';and accordingly, they become evenly plied or twisted together beyondguide ring 38 as they are wound upon the spindle 42. As a result, acomposite yarn is produced having exposed but effectively locked instaple fibers wrapped about a fully synthetic core.

The variation according to FIG. 3 is identical with that shown in FIGS.1 and 2, except for the fact that each of the fully synthetic threads 25and 27 are wrapped in zone A (the region between the output of the thirdset of rollers 36, 36 and the guiding ring 38) with its own stapleroving 16, 16 respectively, prior to plying in the region below theguiding ring 38. In order to accommodate the additional staple fiberthere must, of course, be provided means for mounting an additionalroving spindle 10'. Also, the various sets of rollers which accommodatethe roving must be made sufiiciently long to handle the roving of bothspindles.

It is to be noted -in connection with FIG. 1, that the displacement bar46 serves the sole purpose of preventing the twisting of the secondsynthetic thread 27 with the synthetic thread 25 and the roving 16 priorto their passage through the guiding ring 38. As shown in FIG. 3, thissame result may be accomplished without such guiding bar simply bymaintaining sufiicient distance, such as a distance of more than oneinch, between the two synthetic threads as they pass between the thirdset of rollers 36, 36'.

The present process has been used with various types of synthetic andstaple materials, among which the followying examples are given:

Example l A bundle of filaments of polyhexamethylene adipamide, 100denier, 23 filaments, crimped according to a false twisting process, iswrapped, as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, with a woolroving of the metrical number Nm 2, which has been stretched to aboutthirty fold. In the same operation the core yarn so obtained is pliedwith a bundle of filaments of polyhexamethylene adipamide, 30 denier, 10filaments, crimped according to a false twisting process. The totaltwist with the wrapping and the plying amounts to 450 turns per meter.Thus, one obtains a voluminous, composite yarn, with high slipproofness, high elastic pull and good ability to retain heat. This yarnconsists 50% of wool and 50% of polyamide tilaments.

Example 2 A bundle of filaments of polyethylene glycol terephthalate,denier, 36 filaments, crimped by drawing over a sharp edge, is wrapped,as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, with a cotton roving ofthe English yarn number (Ne) 0, 9, which is stretched to about 27 fold.In the same operation, the core yarn so obtained is twisted with abundle of filaments of the same titer crimped in the same manner. Thetotal twist in the wrapping and plying amounts to 375 turns per meter.One obtains a composite, elastic yarn with an agreeably soft touch andhigh slip proofness, which after scalding, shows good absorbent quality.This yarn consists 60% of cotton and 40% or polyester filaments.

Example 3 A bundle of filaments of polyacrylonitrile, 50 denier, 24filaments, crimped by means of a stuffing box, is wrapped as describedin connection with FIGS. 1 and 2 with a wool roving Nm 2, 2, which hasbeen stretched to about 30 fold. In connection with the same operation,the core yarn so obtained is plied with a bundle of filaments ofpolyacrylonitrile, 80 denier, 36laments, which has also been crimped bymeans of a stuffing box. The total twist in the wrapping and the plyingamounts to 450 turns per meter. One obtains a composite, voluminous,elastic yarn with high slip proofness, which, thanks to the distinctivedyeing quality of the fibrous materials, is eX- cellently suited to theproduction of Moulin effects. It consists 50% of wool and 50% ofpolyacrylonitrile filaments.

Example 4 A bundle of filaments of polyvinylchloride, 100 denier,filaments, crimped according to a false twisting process, is, asdescribed -in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, wrapped with a wool rovingNm 2, 2, which has been stretched to about 30 fold, and in connectionwith the same operation is plied with a bundle of filaments of the sametiter, crimped in the same manner. The total twist with the wrapping andplying amounts to 450 turns per meter. One obtains a voluminouscomposite yarn with high slip proofness, negative electrostatic chargingcapacity and good ability to hold heat, which is suitable for theproduction of textile articles for therapeutic purposes. It consistsabout 40% of wool and 60% of polyvinyl filaments.

Example 5 A bundle of filaments of a polycondensate of e-caprolactam, 70denier, 30 filaments, crimped according to a false twisting method is,as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2, wrapped with a staplefiber roving polyethylene glycol terephthalate Nm 2, 5, which has beenstretched to about fold. In connection with the same operation, the coreyarn so obtained is plied with a bundle of filaments of the same titer,crimped in the same manner. The entire twist in the wrapping and plyingamounts to 450 turns per meter. One obtains a composite, elastic,voluminous and quick drying yarn with good slip proofness which isexcellently suited to the production of' Moulin effects. It consists 50%of polyester staple fibers and 50% of polyamide filaments.

Example 6 A smooth bundle of filaments of polyhexamethylene adipamide,70 denier, 34 filaments, is wrapped, as described in connection withFIGS. 1 an-d 2, with a wool roving Nm 2, 2, which has been stretched toabout 28 fold, and in connection with the same operation the core yarnso obtained is plied with an identical bundle of filaments. The totaltwisting with lthe wrapping and plying amounts to 550 turns per meter,one obtains a composite, elastic, voluminous yarn with good ability tohold heat and very good .slip proofness. It consists 50% of wool and 50%of polyamide filaments.

Example 7 Two bundles of filaments of polyhexamethylene adipamide, 40denier, 13 filaments, crimped according to the talse twisting process,are each, as described in connection with FIG. 3, wrapped with a woolroving Nm 2, 2, which has been stretched to about 30 fold, and inconnection with the same operation, the core yarns so formed are pliedwith each other. The total twist in the wrapping and plying amounts to390` turns per meter. One obtains a composite, elastic, voluminous yarnwith high slip proofness and a pronounced woolen character. This yarnconsists 76.5% of wool and 23.5% of polyamide filaments.

Having .thus described my invention with particular reference to thepreferred form thereof, i-t will be obvious to those skilled in the artto which the invention pertains, after understanding my invention, thatvarious changes and modifications may -be made therein wi-thoutdeparting from the spirit and scope o-f my invention, as defined by theclaims appended thereto.

What is claimed .as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A process for producing composite yarns containing staple fibers andcontinuous crimped synthetic filaments, said process comprising thesteps of, withdrawing a roving of staple fibers from a first spool 'bymeans of a first pair of rollers driven at a first peripheral velocity,stretching the roving so withdrawn by means of another pair of rollersdriven at a second peripheral velocity higher than said first peripheralvelocity, withdrawing two crimped synthetic filament yarns from separatesecond .and third spools and passing said filament yarns through saidother pair of rollers, passing said roving through said other pair ofrollers in contact with one of said synthetic filament yarns, guidingthe second synthetic filament yarn into adjacent lrelationship with saidroving and said one filament yarn at a first point beyond said otherpair of rollers, and continuously plying said roving and one saidsynthetic filament yarn with the second synthetic filament yarn at asecond point beyond said first point.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said roving is stretched to thedesired yarn number pnior to wrapping.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the crimped synthetic yarns arebundles consisting of filaments of at least 3 denier.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the roving consists of artificialfibers..

5. The process of claim 1 wherein a second roving of staple fibers iswithdrawn from a fourth spool by means of the first pair of rollers, thesecond roving is stretched by means of the other pair of rollers, thesecond roving is passed through the other pair of rollers in contactwith the second synthetic filament yarn, the second synthetic filamentyarn and roving are guided into adjacent relationship with the firstroving and said one filament yarn, .and the lfirst roving and said onefilament yarn are continuously plied with the second roving .and saidsecond filament yarn.

6. A process as described in Iclaim 1 wherein the roving is twisted withthe first synthetic filament yarn to form a wrapping about said firstyarn, and the total twist with the wrapping of staple fiber rovingaround the first synthetic filament yarn and the plying of the wrappedyarn with the `second synthetic filament yarn is in the order of 375 to550 turns per meter.

7. A process as described in claim 1 wherein the first and the secondsynthetic filament yarns are displaced from each other by about 1 cm. bymeans of a thread guide placed before the last pair of rollers to avoidwrapping of the second synthetic filament yarn by the staple fiberroving.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,313,05'81 3/19431 Francis. 2,332,395 10/ 1943 =Nutter et al. 57-12 2,971,3'22 2/1961Bouvet 57--152 X 3,068,636 12/1962 Masurel 57-144 X 3,070,950 1/1963Thomas 57-140 X FOREIGN PATENTS 515,696 12/1939 Great Britain.

781,344 8/1957 Great Britain.

850,059 9/ 1960 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

1. A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COMPOSITE YARNS CONTAINING STAPLE FIBERS ANDCONTINUOUS CRIMPED SYNTHETIC FILAMENTS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING THESTEPS OF WITHDRAWING A ROVING OF STAPLE FIBERS FROM A FIRST SPOOL BYMEANS OF A FIRST PAIR OF ROLLERS DRIVEN AT A FIRST PERIPHERAL VELOCITY,STRETCHING THE ROVING SO WITHDRAWN BY MEANS OF ANOTHER PAIR OF ROLLERSDRIVENN AT A SECOND PERIPHERAL VELOCITY HIGHER THAN SAID FIRSTPERIPHERAL VELOCITY, WITHDRAWING TWO CRIMPED SYNTHETIC FILAMENT YARNSFROM SEPARATE SECOND AND THIRD SPOOLS AND PASSING SAID FILAMENT YARNSTHROUGH SAID OTHER PAIR OF ROLLERS, PASSING SAID ROVING THROUGH SAIDOTHER PAIR OF ROLLERS IN CONTACT WITH ONE OF SAID SYNTHETIC FILAMENTYARNS, GUIDING THE SECOND SYNTHETIC FILAMENT YARN